Carbon pack



J. S. FLEMING GARBKON PACK April 21, 1931.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 29, 1928 Fig. .1

IN VEN TOR. MW M 9% BY M nQuwwv i MAM A TTORNEYS.

April 21, 1931.

J. S. FLEMING CARBON PACK Filed March 29, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVOICE JOHN H DUE DOE BUILDING New YORK CITY INVENTOR. M Q 04 M ATTORNEYS.

April 21, 1931. J. s. FLEMING CARBON PACK 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 29, 1928 INVENTQR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 21, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN STUART FLEMING, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO NIAGARA FOLD, INCL, OF NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK, A CORPORA- TION or NEW YORK CARBON PACK Application filed March 29, 1928. Serial No. 265,570.

This invention relates to manifolding devices, and more specifically to devices including a self contained assemblage of carbon sheets or leaves, adapted for manifolding printing by a typewriting machine.

One object of the invention is the provision of a practical manifolding assemblage of carbon sheets or leaves adapted for unlimited shift or movement in a typewriting machine, but which, 0;. account of the arrangement of the carbon leaves relative to each other, are adapted to have their shift or movement controlled. 7 Another object is the provision of an assemblage of the character referred to and consisting wholly of very flexible, thin manifolding sheet material,-as carbon manifolding sheets, directly attached to each other, the thickness of the assemblage being dependent wholly upon the number of these thin sheets that may be used, every part of the assemblage being adapted to pass between the platen and its cooperative friction feed rollers, and completely beyond the grip of the feed rollers and platen.

Another object is the provision of a practical and efiicient assemblage check specially designed-to coact with carbon leaves and limit shift thereof without requiring use of any cooperative elements except the attached carbon sheets themselves.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangemei of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying the sheets or leaves being bent up to disclose their opposite faces;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of a fragment'of the assemblage of Fig. 1, viewed from the side opposite that of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of Fig. 1,

and is largely diagrammatic for clearer disclosure;

Fig. 4: is a front view, partly in section, of a platen and platen carriage of a typewriting machine, with the carbon assemblage of Fig. 1, interleaved with relatively superposed record strips, or work sheets;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a keeper;

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the keeper and the check member carried thereby;

Fig. 7 illustrates details of an adjustable connection between the keeper and the check member;

Fig. 8 illustrates one of two similar brackets which support the keeper onthe typewriting machine;

Fig. '9 is a perspective view diagrammatically illustrating the record strips and the associated carbon assemblage in operative position in a typewriting machine.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 1, Fig. 4, indicates the rotatable platen of a typewriting machine,

mounted to rotate in the side members 2, of

the platen carriage.

It is to be understood that the platen and the carriage, 1 and 2, are merely exemplary of standard-typewriting machine construction, and that the usual provision for rotating the platen for line spacing andfor letter spacing the carriage is-to be included. It is considered unnecessary to illustrate these tract asthe platen is rotated. The numeral 5 indicates hand lever operatively connected to be actuated to relieve the grip between the feed rolls and the platen, all as usual in typewriting machines, when it is, desired to ad just or shift the paper-by hand Without rotating the platen. The'paper to be typed and on which the copies are to be made consists of continuous long paper, record strips/7, each strip preferably having. a longitudinal series of printed forms 8 thereon to be filled in by efiect this a manifol n of an assemblage of car on sheets directly the typist. In ractice these paper record strips are assem led in superposed position relative to each other, with the series of' printed forms in superposed registry, and

the assembled strips ma be transversely folded zig-zag so as to orm a convenient supply pack of record strips, as indicated at 9, from which the superposed strips pass' to and around the platen, as diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 9, the grip of the platen and feed rollers 4 feeding these strips simultaneously as the platen is rotated.

After one setof superposed printed forms has been typed, rotatlon of the platen feeds the next adjacent set into poistion to be typed, the previously typedset being at the and to do so in a manner to permit shift of p the record strips relative to the carbon sheets or vice versa, and to relative position for manifolding each successive set of super-.

posed printed forms 0 the record strips. To device consisting attached to each other in superposed relation is employed. Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the numerals 11, 12, 13, and 14 each indicates a carbon sheet, or ply, of the assemblage, these several sheets or plies bein in superposed relation to each other. ach carbon sheet is very flexible and thin so as readil tobend and to transfer impression= theret rough, and the carbon coating covers the entire area of one face of each sheet. The ordinary coated paper transfer sheet, known as a carbon, answers the purpose Such commercial sheets not only flex rea '1 so as to follow the sinuosities of the reco strips, but they are without any stifiness and are soft, so that they are readily p at anyand all points into close contact with the record strips by typing.

Moreover, their softness permits the ty effectively to coact therethrou h with t e 151i nhrme generally cylindrical face of t e rotatable platen 1, and conduces to best definition of on the co .record strip which lies directly d inst sa1 platen.

The car n' sheets 11, 12 13, and 14 are directly attached to each other by stitching, the stitching bein at hits 15 and 16, spaced a art latera y'o'f t ese sheets,,so'that ate such pointsthe sheets may be separated from each otherto permit threading, or passage, of record strips between adjacent carbon sheets and between the stitched points 15 and .16. Carbon sheets are relatively weak and apt to tear, but when a number are stitched together in direct contact as heretofore explained, the contacting carbon face gives such. friction effect that one or a few lines of stitches makes the attachment secure. The carbon sheets might be attached together at the spaced points 15 and 16 by pasting, or by pasting and stitching. Either way would effect attachment and is contemplated herein. But secure attachment by pasting alone mi ht require the adhering faces to be'free 0 carbon for the paste to take hold.

In Fig. 9, the carbon sheets 11, 12, 13,14, are illustrated in interleaved relation with the several record strips 7, the carbon faces being rear faces of the respective carbon sheets, so that the original t ping on the outermost record strip is dup icated on the underlying record strips. In the figurethe carbon sheets have been fed with the record strips between the platen 1 and the feed rollers 4, and have advanced to position at the delivery side of the platen, free of the grip of the feed rolls.

It will be seen that the advance ends of the carbon sheets are freely separable from each other in advance of the stitched points 15 and 16, the attached points, however, extending practically to the rear, or trailing end of the assemblage of sheets. A relatively long line of attachment at each lateral side or e ge of the assemblage gives a sleeve-like efiect, acting to guide the assemblage on therecord strips and restrain rotative movement in the plane of the strips. tached points may be varied however, and may be restricted to a position near to the trailing end of the sheets so that the plies or sheets are connected for a portion only of the lengths thereof, the portions, as at 17, beyond said connection providing separate, mdividual pl extensions. Instead of the plies or carbon s eets 11, 12, 13, 14, being 0 equal width at all parts, as they might be, they are made narrower at their advanced itions 17 than across their attached -widt s. The purpose of this is to have the lateral edges of the narrow part register with the edges of the record strips, so that when this registry is effected the assemblage will be in correct position laterally of the record strips.

The trailing margins 18, 19, 20 and 21 of the carbon sheets are in lap d relation to each other as illustrated inig. 2, so as to make it easy to insert the record strips therebetween in the operation of threading the assembl on the record strips. Also, toavoid raw e ges, the trailing rtion of each leaf 11, 12, 13, and 14 is fol ed so as to have an underlying extension 22. the fold line thus The length of the at- III providing atrailing edge of the particular sheet or leaf. v

In the present embodiment, the underlying extension 23 of the sheet 14 is as long as the assemblage, so as to provide a carbon leaf extension integral with its body leaf 14 at the trailing end of the latter, this carbon leaf extension lying in superposed manifolding relation to the other leaves and being generally commensurate therewith in length and area. There is a rearwardly disposed transverse fold between the carbon sheet 14and the carbon leaf extension 23 as indicated at 42 in Figures 2 and 3; this fold provides a check ing lug or extension which performs an important function 1n posltionmg and checking movement of the carbon sheet or sheets as later described. Referring to Figures 1 and 9, it will be observed that the extension leaf or sheet 23 is coated with carbon on its rear face and this carbon'coated face is dis'po;-. ,-d in manifolding transfer contact with the front or top face of the next lower record strip or sheet 7' which, as more particularly referred to hereinafter, is a separate sheet capable of being independently inserted into. position or removed. It will be clear, furthermore, that the record leaf 7 may often be omitted, in which case the extension leaf 23 need notbe carbonized and it may be then shortened or otherwise abbreviated. v

The numeral 24 indicates a member which is adapted to be received between the leaves of the carbon assemblage and to cooperate to check said assemblage after it is delivered from the platen 1. While the check member 24 may vary in precise form in practice, it is preferably elongated, having its direction of length or longitudinal axis disposed transversely of the path of the transfer sheets and record strips so as to be readily engageable with said transfer sheets at the checking extension thereof formed by the transverse fold 42 between one transfer sheet and the exten-' sion lea-f 23 as referredto more in detail. below. In the embodiment illustrated,-thecheck member 24 is mounted on the platen carriage2 and at the delivery side of the platen 1, and consists of a' blade having a rela-. tively fine lower, or checking edge 25. In practice th fine or thin checking edge 25 is provided by making the blade 24 of thin, resilient, flexible metal, and disposingtheblade parallel to the width of the carbon assemblage, and so as to project at each end beyond the lateral edges of the record strips 7 as shown in Fig. -4.

Alongside the blade 24 and slightly spaced from the latter is a relatively broad, stiff bar or flat plate 26, which supports the blade 24 and is adapted to keep, or retain, the outermost record strip closely alongside the blade.

. pivotall ably supported on the sides of the platen carriage by screws 30 passing through apertures 31 in the brackets and enteringthe carriage.

The jaws forming the slots 27 resiliently frictionally grip the blade and retain it in a detachable manner. One end of blade 24 is held detachably on the keeper 26 by a screw 32entering a spacing lug 33 on the rear face of the keeper., The other end of blade 24 is y held to an arm 34 by screw 35. The

arm 34 has a lug 36, and the latter has a threaded aperture 37 engaged by an adjusting screw 38, which adjusting screw also has threaded engagement with an aperture in a lug 39 on the bar 26, the screw 38 having a head 40 for convenient manipulation. By rotating screw 38, the keeper 26 and blade 24 may be adjusted relative to each other for tensioning the checking blade 24.

In the embodiment illustrated, the four carbon sheets 11, 12, 13, 14, eachhas its associated record strip 7 onto which it manifolds. Referring to Fig. 9, one record strip will be in rear of the carbon sheet 11, and will lie directly against platen 1. The next adjacent record strip will pass between carbon sheets 11 and 12, the next adjacent be-' and 14 are stitched toeach other as herein- I before explained, the carbon assemblage will thus be strung on the intermediate record strips and are shiftable longitudinally on the strips at will, or the record strips may be shifted relative to the carbon assemblage.

The length of the carbon assemblage is commensurate with the length of the printed form to be filled in, and is usually somewhat less than the distance between successive of the weakened lines 10, in the recordstrips. When in manifolding position ready for inscript ion by the typist, the advance end 41 of the carbon assemblage is somewhat in rear of the forward weakened line, the trailing end 42 of the assemblage being somewhat ahead'of the next succeeding weakened line. Having associated the assemblage on the rec- 0rd strips, as explained,"the advance ends of the superposed record strips may readily be passed from the rear between the platen .1 and feed rollers 4, by rotating the platen in line spacing direction and until the advance set of printed forms is inposition to be filled in. After being inscribed, further clockwise rotation of the platen will feed the record strips and the carbon assemblagetherewith and the latter will wholly be delivered from v the grip of the feed rollers and platen, and

so that the grip on the record strips will be relieved considerably owing to the decreased thickness at the gripping point due to the removal of the carbon assemblage. The advance end of the original record strip 7 should be inserted between the bar 26 and the blade 24, so that as it advances it is kept close alongside said blade 24. Also the folded extension leaf 23 is inserted between the bar 26 and the blade 24. Then, as the platen is further rotated in line spacing direction, the'carbon assemblage is carried up (Fig. 9) by frictional contact with the record strips, and its advance is ultimatelychecked by the blade 24 arriving at the line of fold between leaf 14 and its superposed extension 23. This checking is sufiicient to arrest further advance of the carbon assemblage under friction from the record strips.

Advance of the carbon assemblage having now been checked by blade 24, the typed set of forms may be advanced relative to the carbons until said set is out of superposed registry with the carbons, thereby bringing the next set, of untyped forms, into registry with the carbons. This last advance might be effected by rotating the platen clockwise or, if the grip at the feed rolls is insufficient, by grasping the advance ends of the record strips, without grasping the carbons, and then pulling the record strips to bring the untyped set of forms into carbon registering position. The typed set of forms may then be torn off along its rear weakened line, and thereupon counterclockwise rotation of the platen will shift the carbon assemblage and the registering set of forms into position to be typed. The blade 24 should be disposed in such relation at the delivery side of the platen that, when beginning to type a set of forms, the carbon leaves 14 and 23 straddle such blade. Due to the keeper 26, the ori 'nal record is kept close to the extension lea 23 and assists in restraining the latter from unfolding. Adjacent its trailing edge 42 the opposite lateral edges of the carbon assemblage converge toward each other, as indicated at 44, so that the trailing edge of the assemblage is eased between the platen and the feed rollers 4, on the reverse, or anti-clockwise, rotation of the platen. Preferably the corners 44 are curved as illustrated.

In the embodiment illustrated, leaf 23 is connected to the stitched leaves by being an integral part of the leaf 14. The leaf 23 is a carbon leaf,-or sheet,.like the others. Being soft and flexible it tends to unfold when drawn against the blade 24, but is restrained from unfolding by the cooperation of the other leaves.

In case it should be desired to make a carbon copy in addition to those on a set of record strip forms, such copy may be made by inserting a supplementary record sheet, as,

for instance, a single printed form 7', between the leaves 14 and 23, while the assemblage is loosely arranged as in Fig. 9, so that this supplementary sheet will be moved, with the others, to typing position by reverse rotation of the platen.

Referring to Fig. 9, it will be seen that the blade 24 lies in the an le of fold between sheets 14 and 23, this f0 d as indicated at 42 in Figures 2 and 3 extendin transversely of the carbon sheet or sheets. fiy making the blade thin, it may make close contact with the line of fold without requiring any substantial unfolding of the leaves 14 and 23 relative to each other, any tendency to unfold being greatly lessened as compared with the effect of a thick blade at this point. The attached sections of the carbon sheets are outside the lateral edges of the record strips passing between these sheets, and it is to be understood that the carbon sheets may be of equal width throughout their length. But by narrowing these sheets, as shown, in advance of their attached sections, their lateral edges are made to register with those of the record strips. The narrowed advance edges merge into the Wider attached edges in a gentle curve, as indicated at 45, so as to avoid all danger of catching in any part of the machine.

Since certain changes may be made in the above described article and certain modifications effected in the above described machine without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a'limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A shiftable, flexible, manifoldin'g device including, in combination, a'plurality of flexible manifoldin carbon sheets in superposed relation to am? attached to each other at superposed portions of the sheets, the attachment being at points spaced apart laterally of the sheets so as to permit threading of a record strip between saidsheets between said attached points.

2. A manifolding device including, in combination, a plurality of flexible manifolding carbon sheets in superposed relation to and attached to each other, the attachments being between the sheets at points thereof spaced apart laterally beyond their normal work areas so as to permit threading of a record strip between said sheets between said attached points, the opposite lateral edges of the assemblage of sheets ad acent'its trailing edge converging toward each other.

3. A manifolding device including, incombination, a plurality of flexible, manifolding carbon sheets in superposed. relation to and attached to each other, the attachments being between the sheets at points thereof spaced apart laterally. beyond their normal work areas so as to permit threading of a record strip between said sheets between said-attached points, the trailing margins of said sheets being in lapped relation to each other.

4. A manifolding device including, in combination, a plurality of flexible, manifolding carbon sheets in superposed relation to and attached to each other, the attachment being at points spaced apart laterally of the sheets so as to permit threading of a record strip between said sheets between said attached points, said sheets being narrower at their advance ends than across their rear connected portions.

5. A manifolding device including, in comment being at points spaced apart laterally of the sheets so as to permit threading of a record strip between said sheets between said attached points, a rotatable platen, and a check member having a thin checking edge, mounted on said device at thedelivery side of said platen, adapted to be received between said sheets.

7 A manifolding device including, in combination, a plurality of flexible, manifolding carbon sheets in superposed relation to and attached to each other, the attachment being at points spaced apart laterally of the sheets so as to permit threading of a record strip between said sheets between said attached points, a rotatable platen, a check member having a thin checking edge, mounted on said device at the delivery side of said platen, adapted to be received between said sheets, and means adapted to cooperate to retain one of said record strips in position relatively closely alongside said check member.

8. A manifolding device including, in combination, an assemblage of carbon sheets in superposed relation to and attached to each other adjacent their trailing ends and so as to interleave with record strips, the attachments being between the sheets at points thereof spaced apart laterally beyond their normal work areas, the opposite lateral edges of the assemblage converging toward each other, the trailing margins of said sheets 'being in lapped relation to each other.

9. A manifoldin deviceincluding, in combination, an assem lage of carbon sheets in superposed relation to and attached to each other adjacent their trailing ends and so as to interleave with record strips, the opposite lateral edges of the assemblage converging toward each other, the trailing margins of spaced apart laterally of the leaves and adj'acent the trailing ends of the leaves so as to permit threading of record strips between the leaves between said stitched points, said leaves being freely separable from each other in advance of said stitched points.

11. A manifolding device having a plurality of manifolding carbon leaves contiguous to each other and in superposed relation, said leaves stitched to each other at points spaced apart laterally of the leaves and adjacent the trailing ends of the leaves so as to permit threading of record strips between the leaves between said stitched points, said leaves being freely separable from each other in advance of said stitched points, each of said leaves having an' underlying extension formed by a fold of the leaf, the fold line being the trailing edge of such leaf, the trail ing marglns of said leaves being in lapped relation to each other.

12. A manifolding device having a plurality of manifolding carbon leaves contiguous to each other and in superposed relation,

said leaves stitched to each other at points spaced apart laterally of the leaves and adjacent the trailing ends of the leaves so as to permit threading of record strips between the leaves between said stitched points, said leaves being freely separable from each other in-advance of said stitched points, each of said leaves having an underlying extension formed by a fold of the leaf, the fold line being the trailing edge of such leaf, the trailing margins of said leaves being in lapped relation to each other, the said extension of one of said leaves being foldable relative .to its body leaf, being otherwise unconnected to the stitch connected leaves, and extending to the advance end of the assemblage of leaves.

13. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen and a carbon sheet checking member having a relatively fine checking edge adapted to be received between the sheets delivered from the platen and a strip keeper extending alongside of and spaced from said checking member.

14. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen and a resilient, flexible checking blade extending parallel to the width of the work sheets and mounted at the delivery side of said platen.

15. In a typewrit-ing machine, in combination, a platen, a resilient, flexible checking blade extending parallel to the width of the work sheets and mounted at the delivery side of said laten, and a strip keeper extending alongsi e of and spaced from said blade.

16. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen, a resilient, flexible checking blade extending parallel to the. width of the work sheets and mounted at the delivery side of said platen, and a strip keeper extending alongside of and spaced from said blade, said keeper being stiff relative to said blade, andsaid blade and keeper adjustable relative to each other'for tensioning said blade.

17. A manifolding device including, in combination, a plurality of flexible, manifolding, carbon sheets in superposedrelation to each other and connected for being fed as one, a rotatable platen, and a flat transversely disposed checking blade at the delivery side of said platen adapted to check advance of said connected carbon sheets fed by said platen.

18. A manifolding device including, in combination, a manifolding transfer sheet adapted to be interposed in manifolding relation with record strips, a rotary platen for supporting said transfer sheet and record strips for manifolding inscription and to feed them, and an elongated checking member positioned adjacent the path of the transfer strip feed at the delivery side of said platen and having its longitudinal axis extending transversely of the path of the transfer sheet and cooperating at the delivery side of the platen with said sheet to check its advance after it has been fed past said platen to said delivery side thereof. q

19. A manifolding device including, in combination, a manifolding transfer sheet having a rearwardly disposed transverse checking fold positioned between the side edges of the sheet and adaptedto be interposed in manifoldi ng relation with record strips a rotary platen for supporting said transfer sheet and record strips for manifolding inscription and to feed them, and a checking member positioned adjacent the path of,

transfer sheet feed at the delivery side of said platen and extending transversely of the ath of the transfer sheet into longitudinal a ignment with said transfer fold so as td'cooperate therewith at the delivery side of the platen to check transfer strip feed after said trip has been fed past said platen to said delivery side thereof.

20. A manifolding device including, in combination, a plurality of superposed thin flexible shaets including at least one manifolding carbon sheet, said su erposed sheets continuing laterally to points yond the normal work areas of said carbon sheet and having attachments with each other, the attachments being between the sheets at points spaced apart laterally beyond said normal work areas so as to permit threading of a record strip between adjacent carbon sheets between said attachments, said attachments vide separate, individual and the manifolding device being flexible transversely of the length of the latter so as to conform to a curved path.

21. A manifolding device including, in combination, a plurality of flexible mani folding carbon sheets in superposed relation to each other and continuing laterally'to points beyond the normal work areas thereof and having attachments with each other, the attachments including stitching extendin between the sheets at points thereof space apart laterally beyond said normal work areas so as to permit threading of a record strip between adjacent carbon sheets, between said attachments, said attachments and the manifolding device being flexible transversely of the length of the latter soas to conform to a curved path.

22. A device for manifolding inscriptio including, in combination, a number of relatively superposed, connected plies, including a carbon ply, of thin, flexible, sheet material having laterally disposed attaching sections in superposed relation to each other, and having a shift-checking leaf of thin, flexible, sheet material.

23. A device for manifolding inscription including, in combination, a number of relatively superposed plies, including a carbon ply, of thin, flexible sheet material, side sections of said plies being connected to each other at su erposed portions for a portion only of the engthof said plies, so as to proly-extensions beyondsaid connection, and having a. shiftchecking leaf of thin, flexible, sheet material.

24. A device for manifolding inscription including, in combination, a number of relatively supe'rposed plies, including a carbon ply, of thin, flexible sheet material side sections of said plies being connected to each other at superposed portions for a portion only of the length of said plies, so as to provide separate, individual, 1 -extensions beyond said connection, and having a shiftchecking leaf of thin, flexible, sheet material integral with one of said plies.

25. A device for manifolding inscription including, incombination, two or more relatively superposed, separate carbon sheets, attached together at their opposite sides so as to providepassageway for a record, strip between said sheets, and a shift-checking leaf of sheet material integral with one 0 said sheets.

26. A device for manifolding inscri tion including,incombination,a luralityo relativel superposed, connected plies, including a car 11 ply, said plies being of thin, flexible,

sheet material, said manifolding device having a record strip passageway extending longitudinally of the manifolding device and positioned between adjacent plies for re-' ceiving a record strip in transfer relation with said carbon ply, and a shift-checking leaf of thin, flexible, manifolding material.

27. A manifolding device including, in combination, a plurality of relatively superposed plies of thin flexible sheet material at least one of said plies being a transfer ply, said plies continuing laterally at relatively superposed parts thereof to points beyond the normal work area of said transfer ply, said laterally continuing parts being superposed and directly united with each other beyond said-work area so as to permit threading of a record strip between adjacent plies in transfer relation with said transfer ply, one of 'said plies having a checking extension of soft flexible material adjacent the rear end. 

